


Too Scared

by randomfandomimagine



Series: Ficlets (Reader Insert) [34]
Category: Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Character Study, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Insomnia, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:13:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24108799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomfandomimagine/pseuds/randomfandomimagine
Summary: When something goes wrong during a mission and Y/N gets hurt, Cloud gets slightly protective. Even with Barret and Tifa’s concern, Y/N doesn’t quite feel safe until a certain someone steps in.
Relationships: Cloud Strife/Reader, Cloud Strife/You
Series: Ficlets (Reader Insert) [34]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1664227
Comments: 2
Kudos: 111





	Too Scared

**Author's Note:**

> Can you tell I’m loving FFVII Remake? Deep down Cloud’s soft and we all know it, so have some cute protective Cloud! :D

When you agreed to join them on their mission for the first time, you were expecting something else. Adventure, action, excitement. Instead, you were received with nervous butterflies in your stomach, the feeling of dread, the threat of imminent death and the concern for your friends. Even if you hadn’t known Cloud, Tifa and Barret for that long. Especially not the ex-Soldier, since he made it so hard.

“Y/N!” Barret called you, so suddenly bringing you out of your thoughts that you jumped a little. “Get your ass over here!” 

“Sorry…” You held your head down, internally lecturing yourself, and approached them. All eyes were on you as you stopped before the trio.

“Don’t worry” Tifa kindly smiled. “I get nervous too” 

“Can we focus?” Cloud interrupted, immediately tearing his gaze from you.

You frowned, but nodded. After all his dry comments and elusive behavior, you were starting to think he didn’t like you very much.

“What’re we doing then, Soldier boy?” Barret asked him.

“They seem to be busted or something” Cloud lazily pointed to the big robotic Shinra weapons that towered over you. “A good thing too, if they weren’t-”

“Watch out!” Tifa exclaimed, acquiring a ready stance.

His words had seemed to jinx the group, because just then the biggest one came to life and pointed its shooters at you three. You were the closest, and despite her warning, wasn’t fast enough to move. All three of them had jumped back, but you were frozen in place. Paralyzed, you could only stare at the moving machine like a deer in headlights. Your hands didn’t even reach out to pick up your weapon.

“Y/N!” Someone called, you couldn’t tell who. In any case, the explosion muffled their worried cries. 

As the robot aimed at you, the fiery projectile threw you flying backwards. You landed with a harsh thud that made your bones hurt. A ringing deafened you as it was the only thing filling your ears. You grimaced as you tried to get your bearings back and ignore the intense pain that spread through you. It took your breath away. 

You hadn’t realized someone was shaking your shoulder until your eyes found focus. They landed over a beautiful blue inundated in green. In your daze, it took you a bit to understand it was Cloud staring straight at you.

“Y/N!” He tried again, squeezing your arm. “You okay?!”

Blinking repeatedly, you weakly nodded your head. Though you opened your mouth, no words left it save for a strangled whimper. 

“Stay behind me” He was becoming blurry as he slowly faced his back to you again. 

Frowning as you tried to make sense of what you were witnessing, a confusing mess of bodies moving in a strange angle and loud noises, you saw Cloud wielding his big sword. He stood before you, throwing quick glances over his shoulder to check on you as he protected you with his body. His mouth was moving as he spoke to you, but you couldn’t hear him when the whistling in your ears began again. 

You reached out to him, hoping he didn’t get hurt protecting you. He seemed perfectly skilled, yet even as he cleverly used his sword as a shield, you felt uneasy. Cloud was far too distracted by your wellbeing to focus on the battle.

You were feeling yourself slipping out of consciousness. A loud groan of pain came from before you, making you gasp in concern.

“C-Cloud…” You uttered, far too weakly for him to hear.

The last thing you saw were his boots in your field of vision as you hand went limp against the ground. Even as you succumbed to the darkness, you tried to reach out to him one last time.

-

Tifa and Barret had been incredibly kind and thoughtful. For the remainer of the day, they had looked after you. Luckily, you weren’t badly hurt and your injuries had more to do with the shock of the impact than anything else.

When it came to night, Tifa told you to stay in a small apartment complex near by. Coincidentially, Cloud was staying there too. You hadn’t seen him ever since the accident, but you wanted to make sure he was alright. Sure, they had insisted that he was and that no one else came to harm, but… you needed to see with your own two eyes. 

Despite your fatigue, you spent hours tossing and turning on the bed. It was comfortable, but your thoughts were far too busy to find rest. In a way, you were also listening in case Cloud appeared, restless until you saw him again.

Giving up on trying to sleep, you slowly walked out of the room. The fresh air felt nice and cleared your head a little. You paced up and down once in an attempt to rid your tense muscles of their numbness. Then you sighed in exhaustion and sat down, hanging your legs off the edge of the balcony. 

A door suddenly creaked open, causing you to jolt up in surprise. Although your heart had begun racing, it calmed at the sight you were received with when you turned.

“It’s just you, Cloud…” You sighed in relief, yet it was also partly relief to see him. Whole, in one piece, deadpan and serious as always.

“Hey” Was all he said, though he observed you intently. 

You looked him up and down, remembering hearing him groan in pain. After searching for any signs of injury, you found them. His dark tank top was a bit thorn along the stomach, there where dry blood stained the fabric and the bit of skin exposed under it. 

“You’re hurt!” You made to get up, but he held a hand up to stop you. Nonetheless, you continued ranting in concern. “It’s my fault, I’m so sorry…”

“It’s nothing” He assured to interrupt your panic. “Just a scratch”

“You… you got that protecting me” 

“It happens… I’m fine”

Your eyes followed him as he plopped down next to you. His gaze was glued ahead, even as he opened his mouth to speak again.

“Can’t sleep?” 

“No…” 

“What’s wrong?”

You hesitated. Cloud was tough and you didn’t want to appear weak in front of him, you just wanted him to like you. Instead of admitting your anguish and the fresh memories of what happened that day, you shook your head.

“Nothing…” You hoped he couldn’t see through your lie.

“Just spit it out” He tiredly said, leaning his head in your direction.

“Uh…” You sighed and cleared your throat, feeling your voice shaky. “I’m… too scared” 

He didn’t scoff like you expected him to. Maybe he wasn’t as cold and heartless as he pretended to be. Carefully watching him with the corner of your eye, you noticed he was staring at you. His face contorted in concern, and he frowned in something that resembled empathy.

Although it took him a bit as his mouth fell agape, he piped up.

“You got hurt, it can be frightening” Cloud said, averting his gaze. “Don’t beat yourself up for being scared”

Taken aback by his response, you couldn’t reply immediately. In fact, you had to make an effort not to smile. It warmed your heart that he tried to comfort you

“Thank you, and thanks for protecting me back there”

“That’s what you brought me along for” Cloud shrugged, returning to his usual coold-headedness. It made the sweet tender moment you shared all the more special as well as rare.

A sudden gale swept over you two, making you shiver. You heard him utter a sound as he turned to look at you.

“You should go back inside” He frowned, still facing you as his eyes glanced away once more. “Not that I care, but you could catch a cold out here”

Despite his words, you had to smile to yourself. Slowly, you were starting to see through his facade. He did care, he just didn’t want anyone to know.

“I’m good here, it’s dark and lonely in there” 

Cloud sighed, yet despite his clear exasperation, one of his arms fell over your shoulders. You could only assume he did it to keep you warm, as his body radiated warmth.

“C-Cloud!” You exclaimed in astonishment, surprised that he was so adamant on looking after you.

“Shut up” Was all he said, even as his arm pulled you closer against his torso.

“Not that you care” You told him, teasing him slightly. “But thank you” 

“Hm” He told you as all response, allowing you to snuggle closer to him.

You heaved a sigh of relief as you relaxed under his protective closeness. All day you had been tired, scared and jumpy, but sitting there with Cloud you felt calm. For the first time in hours, you weren’t afraid anymore.

Leaning your head on his shoulder, you closed your eyes. Your entire body felt heavy with exhaustion. As you further relaxed, your breathing slowed and you felt yourself falling asleep.

“Y/N?” He called, though you were too sleepy to reply back.

In a way more tender than you thought him capable of, Cloud carefully scooped you into his arms. As he carried you, you felt safe from any and all threats. Still you tried to say something, but even opening your mouth felt tiring. 

When you heard the sound of a door opening and him dipping you slightly, you groaned in complaint and held on to his tank top. He stuttered at the gesture.

“Stay with me” You asked him, needing his comforting presence.

“B-But…” He mumbled, still hovering with you in his arms.

“Please, Cloud” Your eyelids were too heavy to open, and your hand wasn’t even strong enough to cling on to him anymore.

“Fine” He sighed, gingerly placing you on the bed and settling in the floor close to you. “Just for a bit”

You smiled, and you intended to thank him, but you were already fast asleep.

-

You stirred until you startled yourself awake. Quickly sitting up on the bed, you tried to shake away the remnants of your nightmare. It was worse when you remembered it was based on a real occurrence.

Slightly dazed, you glanced around to find yourself back in your room. The faint light from dawn filtrated through the window, signaling the arrival of a new day.

“Cloud?” You lowly called, expecting him to be long gone.

“I’m here” His voice unexpectedly said from below.

You hadn’t noticed him, but he was lying down on the ground. He turned around to be facing you and watched you intently. You could almost read his thoughts, that so urgently told him to ask how you were doing. He didn’t.

“What are you doing on the floor?” You said instead, frowning at the sight.

“Wasn’t gonna let _you_ sleep on the floor” He casually said, sitting up himself.

You smiled, endeared by the thoughtful gesture. He grunted in annoyance and fidgeted until his back leaned against the wall.

“Feeling better?” He finally asked you, although he might have been trying to change the subject.

“Yeah, I am”

“Good”

“Thanks to you, for looking after me” 

“Whatever…” He stood up and languidly rested his weight on his right leg. “Can I go now?”

“Right after I pay you back” Almost cunningly, you smirked as you leaned closer to him.

He gasped when your lips met with his cheek for just a second. Flustered, he stood there stuttering for a bit until he finally rolled his eyes and sighed.

“Go get some rest” You told him, taking notice of the dark circles under his eyes. “It looks like you didn’t sleep all night” 

“I did” He lied, averting his gaze as he seemed to often do. “You just couldn’t tell”

“Sure” You replied as he began to walk away, following his every move.

Cloud stopped before the door, looking over his shoulder to you. Then he walked out without a word, closing the door behind him. You sighed, feeling much calmer and peaceful than last night. As you lied back down, you smiled to yourself.

Cloud pretended not to, but he did care. You hadn’t known each other for that long, yet he was willing to watch over you all night. He _had_ watched over you all night, protecting you when you were too scared to fall asleep. He cared.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Kudos and comments are appreciated :)


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